Questions and answers
by bhut
Summary: Prospero tries to recruit a certain pair of TV characters for his plot - they aren't willing. Warning: this story contains spoilers. Now updated. (The story is set at the end of S2 - before the start of S3).
1. Chapter 1

**Questions and answers**

 _Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine, but belong to their respective owners._

The man, Moriarty thinks, combines the bulk of a brown bear with the grace of a big cat, even as he is helping his wife pour him and Prospero the South American herbal tea. The woman, on the other hand, looks exotic, like some sort of a foreign breed of feline, but her movements are more sinuous and serpent-like instead. The glances that they exchange with each other, however, have nothing animal-like in them – they are fully human, loving, and real. He wonders if the Duchess exchanges such glances with the Librarian, when the two of them are together, however infrequent this is.

"So, senhor professor, senhor mage," the woman speaks with a slight Spanish accent – but not the classical, European sort of Spanish, rather the Spanish used in the Americas instead. "And senhora sprite," she nods towards Ariel, who gives the woman its best 'who, me?' sort of look. "What brings you to our humble dwelling in the suburbs?"

"Ms. Palamas, Mr. – Palamas," Prospero sips the mate, "this is an interesting drink."

"Thank you. I am guessing you were not used to hot herbal tea. My apologies? Would you like something more traditional?"

"No need, no need," Prospero chuckles – protected by his magic, he can afford to be magnanimous. "I appreciate you taking your time in your busy schedules to meet us."

The man gives the wizard (and Moriarty) a look. Moriarty knows this look. Moran used to evaluate potential threats with this look. 'Mr. Palamas' may allow his wife to take charge of the discussion, but 'allow' is the key word here, and both spouses know this. Both spouses are fine with it too. Moriarty wonders if the Librarian and the Duchess would have this sort of arrangement. From what he had seen of their social interactions so far, he doubts it.

"There's an advantage of running a private clinic...maybe not exactly a clinic, but something along those lines," Ms. Palamas chuckles lightly. "We can arrange our schedules. Right now, my husband is treating you with homeopathy, while I...am playing a more traditional role in our relationship."

"Do the neighbours object? Do they interfere?" Moriarty cannot help but ask. In this enlightened day and age-

"Once they figured out that this is, um, role-play, not so much," 'Mr. Palamas' gave a rueful grin and shot a look at his wife. "So go out for it, professor, in the world from where we've come, the hero always gets the girl, even if she's a Mary-Sue," everyone shuddered at the very mention of the name, the fictionals tended to hate Mary-Sues of both genders, "but here, in the world of the real? Maybe you have a chance, especially if you strive for the impossible dream and believe that your significant other is worth it."

"And if you don't have a significant other?" Prospero speaks sharper than how he usually does. "What if you're alone, a puppet in a play? What if your dreams and desires are not yours, but of some bard, who is trying to appease his king?"

"Firstly, we're talking about The Bard here, so please, speak politely," Ms. Palamas shakes her head. "The man is intra-dimensional or something, he cannot be stopped easily, if at all. And secondly? Think of it as opportunity – you are free here to choose how to live your life without even The Bard's restraints upon you: if you make your peace with the Librarian and his crew, maybe you can cut some sort of a deal? I believe that Frankenstein's Monster did just that."

"Don't remind me of that," Prospero grunts. "The Library's people have all the luck in the world."

Moriarty looks askance at Prospero's new staff, but says nothing.

"Suit yourself," 'Mr. Palamas' isn't that restrained. "But either way – no, we won't be joining in on your crusade, none of our growing community will."

"You're former villains, background characters," Prospero is not fully convinced. "Surely some of you are interested?"

"'Former' is the key word here, senhor mage," Ms. Palamas is not backing down. "Yes, none of us are unhappy that we aren't characters of a TV show anymore, but none of us are unhappy enough to ruin a good thing for everyone. Back in the show? Grant would've been involved with a Mary-Sue," a collective shudder, "while I would've been some sort of mediocre villain, or even a foil to Morse. Maybe you could pop over and talk to Morse. She just might be the character you're looking for."

"No," Moriarty says firmly. "She's just a cheap pseudo-British knock-off of the Duchess."

"You don't need a woman who accepts you as you are, you want a woman who will help you get better," their male host nods in understanding. "Been there, done that, wish you the best of luck." His wife beams and sits down next to him.

"Well, I guess this is our answer, sir," Moriarty nonchalantly turns to Prospero without even lying – he did get _his_ answer, after all.

"Perhaps," the elderly wizard, on the other hand, is not as convinced. "But once I win, you will change your collective minds, to be sure."

"Perhaps," the Palamas' spouses reply. "Have a good luck with your plan."

(And so, Moriarty leaves their house, alongside Prospero and Ariel, feeling more empowered and encouraged than he did ever since Prospero pulled him out of his book.)

End


	2. Chapter 2

**Questions and Answers 2**

 _Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine, but belong to their respective owners._

The woman rode through the Library's doors on a smallish T-Rex or some similar dinosaur, (the Librarians were not too adept at identifying live dinosaurs just yet), got off the terrible lizard in one smooth motion, and asked:

"So. Where is Galeas?"

There was a pause during which Jake and Cass just continued to stare, and Ezekiel finally ended it:

"Jenkins! Your apparently secret girlfriend is here!"

The pause returned, as the woman cocked her head in a somewhat reptilian manner herself and observed the three youngsters with a rather enigmatic look. Cass opened her mouth to say something, changed her mind, changed her mind _again_ , prepared to take charge, (better her than Ezekiel, you know?) and was prevented from being potentially embarrassed by Jenkins who hastily arrived on the scene – and he hated to haste.

"Hello, Galeas," the woman said again, this time with a warm and friendly smile on her face. "Long time no see. How are you feeling? What has happened, lately?"

"Hello to you too, Helena," Jenkins smiled back. "Everyone, this is Helena, my lawfully wedded wife, so I have no idea where Ezekiel had come up with his 'secret girlfriend' idea."

"It was spontaneous," Ezekiel said brightly, "and anyhow, Jenkins? How long have you been married?"

"We'd been wed during the gold age of Camelot," Jenkins said with a small smile. "King Arthur and queen Gwenevere themselves were present at our wedding."

"I say!" Helena spoke with far less reverence in her voice. "Especially since it was His Majesty's own hijinks that got us together, remember?"

"Yes," Jenkins gave his apparent wife a look. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"Weren't you listening? I am worried about you. Someone was fiddling with the time-space continuum, and it had a definitive feel of a Library, so I decided to start with _you_."

"Really?" Jenkins visibly puffed up. "Why thank you, Helena, but it was no big – just Prospero, or rather – Shakespeare, trying to take over England and maybe later – the world."

…The pause came back during which Jenkins deflated somewhat. "Can I please have a fuller version?" Helena turned to the younger trio, which was still present in the room. "Also, can someone please stable my dinosaur?"

"No problem," Ezekiel again spoke up first. "Is it a T-Rex, BTW?"

"No, it's what scientists call a Nanotyrannus instead," Helena replied. "Anyhow?"

"Right!" Ezekiel said brightly. "Come on people! Let's give Jenkins and his wife some privacy!"

"I'm riding the dino!" Cass said brightly, and the trio withdrew together with the dinosaur.

"…" Helena turned back to her husband. "Did they-"

"Decide to leave me to my fate? Yes," Jenkins replied brightly, as he indicated a nearby table and chairs. "Come now, Helena, why are you really here?"

The woman just shot him a look. "Oh," Jenkins dimmed down some. "You were being honest. I see. Sorry. Thank you."

The pair hugged across the table, sharing some sort of a private moment…that was ruined when Flynn made his own appearance:

"Jenkins, why are the junior librarians messing with a carnivorous dinosaur…um, who are you?"

"My wife," Jenkins replied calmly, "and Helena? This is Flynn. This particular Library is his."

"How do you do, sir?" Helena raised an eyebrow.

"Charmed," Flynn did not look or sound very charmed, however. "Jenkins, when you got married?"

"Back during the gold age of Camelot – I've been talking about it to you lately," the older man shot his boss a look. "King Arthur, queen Gwenevere, remember?"

"Yes, but, still!" Flynn was not backing down without a fight. "She still looks like this Helen Ambroise woman, this crazy scientist-"

"That's because I am her, in this incarnation," Helena rolled her eyes. "Seriously, how did you end up a Librarian?"

"Through hard work, heroics and dedication!" Flynn said brightly. "And you are here because-"

"She's worried about me," Jenkins replied in an equally upbeat tone of voice. "Sir, when you get a wife and children of your own, you'll understand how it feels. But for now, Helena and I must have some private time."

Flynn opened his mouth to argue, but Jenkins had enough. With one smooth motion he opened the table's drawer and pulled out a box of condoms, (and not his, BTW, **cough** ); with another, he flung Helena over his shoulder, and shooting Flynn a very expressive wink, he withdrew, leaving the younger man gaping.

…As Flynn just stood there, somewhat shell-shocked, Evelyn appeared on the scene. Initially this was a part of Flynn's own plan, but now that Jenkins had taken the box…

"Do you know that our protégés are busy half-playing and half-harassing some dinosaur?" the blonde Guardian asked her boss and friend.

"Oh, it came with Jenkins' wife," Flynn replied helplessly. "You will hear funny noises soon-"

They heard them right now, this being the Library.

"Oh," Eve looked more thoughtful than anything else. "I didn't know that Jenkins was married. How did this happen?"

Flynn just groaned.

 _TBC_


End file.
